Minister Says MoD Examining Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
